Living in an RV can be a fantastic way to save some money and an even better way to get to see the country without breaking the bank. That said, figuring out how to minimize your stuff so you’re able to live in such a tiny space all the time can be a major challenge.
Fortunately, there are ways to go about it. In this article, we will discuss how to minimize so you can live a full-time RV life without all the clutter.
Take It One Drawer and Cabinet at a Time
The hardest thing to overcome when it comes to downsizing your stuff? The overwhelm. Sorting through everything you own can definitely be a daunting task, but if you focus on a single drawer or cabinet at a time, it will seem a whole lot less overwhelming and you’ll be a lot more inclined to tackle the project.
Get Rid of Duplicates
If you’re not sure what to get rid of first, start by finding all duplicate items and tossing one. There is really no reason you need to have two identical spatulas or two full sets of mixing bowls, and getting rid of extras will definitely save space.
Digitize Books, Movies, and Papers
Things like books and movies can be bought in digital form and downloaded to a laptop or tablet, so you can enjoy them without carrying extra stuff around in your rig.
Have a bunch of papers you’ve been holding onto? It’s likely a lot of those can be digitized as well, so you can avoid carrying a box full of heavy paper in your storage bay. Take photos of kids’ artwork and scan documents and store everything in the cloud so it can never be lost.
Downsize Your Wardrobe
Many people find that clothes are their biggest weakness when it comes to getting rid of stuff. We’re here to tell you that you don’t need nearly as many clothes as you think you do.
Creating a capsule wardrobe is easy enough, and it ensures you have a variety of things to wear while still keeping your wardrobe to a minimum. Considering how little clothes storage space some RVs have, this is majorly helpful when you go to find places to keep all of your things.
Only Keep Versatile Appliances
Small kitchen appliances that only serve one purpose rarely get pulled out. Meanwhile, those with multiple uses might get used every day. Toss out items such as the donut maker and the rice cooker and turn to things like an air fryer and an Instant Pot instead.
Switch Out Your Towels
Traditional terry cloth towels are fluffy and take up a lot of space. On top of that, these towels can take quite some time to dry. Replacing your traditional towels with lighter, thinner Turkish towels will save space and the towels dry faster, something that can be super useful when you find yourself swimming and visiting the beach often.
Be Picky about Pots and Pans
Normally, a set of pots and pans contains quite a few pieces. The thing is, most of us don’t use every single piece of our set of pots and pans. Go through your cookware and choose what you actually use on a regular basis. Donate the rest and rest easy knowing you saved yourself space and are helping keep the weight of your rig to a minimum.
Give Kids a Limit
Figuring out how to minimize kids’ toys and books can be a real challenge. For this, we recommend giving each kid a storage tub and allowing them to fill it with whatever items they’d like to keep. Let them know that if they want to bring something new into the RV, it will have to fit into the tub, meaning they may need to get rid of something else. This will help keep toy clutter at bay after you’ve moved in.
Store Sentimental Items
There are some items that you really won’t want to get rid of for sentimental reasons. Things like wedding albums, baby clothes and blankets, and Christmas ornaments should all be put into watertight boxes. If you don’t have room in your RV, these boxes can be stored in a storage facility or at a family member’s house.
Yes, figuring out how to minimize your things so you can RV full-time is a huge undertaking. That said, it can be done, and once it is done you’ll likely feel a whole lot lighter and ready for your next big adventure: RV living.
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About the author: Chelsea Gonzales
Chelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family.
You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.
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